Wednesday, August 15, 2012

After visiting El Paso this summer, and eating the best tasting Mexican foods ever, I began wondering if it was possible to make my own authentic tasting foods.

First on my mind was homemade Chalupa shells. I simply cooked corn tortillas in hot oil, turning often, until crisp;

And drained on a paper towel. It was very easy.

Next on my mind was taco shells. I placed a corn tortilla in the hot oil and turned it over before it started getting crisp. While still soft I folded the corn tortilla in half, using tongs, and held it in place trying to form a space in the middle for filling with meat. Once one side was crisp I turned the shell over to let the other side crisp up too.

Making the taco shells was easier than I expected and it didn't take very long; hot oil cooks very quickly.

Once all my shells were ready it was time to make chalupas. I placed beans on the shell and seasoned taco meat; this was then topped with cheese and placed in the toaster oven until the cheese melted.

Both tasted so authentic and every bit as good as the tacos and chalupas we had in El Paso!

As I end here is a tip I learned years ago. Add enchilada sauce to your refried beans; it adds flavor as well as moisture. You can use store sauce or homemade sauce; but of course homemade sauce is the best.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

My friend and neighbor Ginger has an apple tree full of apples that are just starting to ripen; so Elizabeth and I picked some today.

We ate some of the apples right away and then I peeled and diced some of them for an apple cake.

The last time I made this cake I made a few notes next to the recipe so I would remember to make adjustments when I made the cake again; such as the batter is very thick so I need to add milk to thin it somewhat.

This is the best apple cake I have ever made. The recipe is found in a cookbook my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas one year.